Daily Republican., 1887-12-17
TERRIBLE BOILER EXPLOSION.
The Electric Light station in west Ohes
tor Demolishod-FiveP Persons Killed,
Ono Missing-Five Injured, Two IA
tally.

Tho Electric Light station in Weet Ohes-
tor Demolisnod-Five Persons Killed,
Ono Missing-Five Injured, Two IA
tally.
WEST CHESTER, Chester County,
Pa.-Dec. l6.-Aoous 4 Is this after.
noon what is known as the OLD boiler
In the Electric Light s.a!ion In this
place exploded with terrible force ano
almost totally destroyed the entire
building and much OF the valuable ma
ohinery. A tall br;cB stack jost com
pleted standing alon gside the plant was
shrown down upon the building DuIy-
ing portion OF 1t from eight. There
were a number of men as work Of the
time.
Hundreds Of en- set 10 work 20 tear
away the debris. au6 after an nocr' q
hard labor succeeded In getting OUT the
dead body Of T. Walter Embree, the
man of 80 years.
| Ellwood Beckett, q co!ored hoo car
rier, was also found dead
The following is the list of tho in-
4 iured, so far rs is known at this writ
ing:
Edward Schofieid, q laborer. badly
scslded and crushed canuos recover,
Frank Ktnnard, ltDeman, slightly
cut about iaoe.
William Richardson. Hremsn, scald
ed and head cut. ,
Jacob Brown, lsbo.eT, head cut bad
william Allison, lsborer, terribly cut
bruised and scAlded, and Is likely t'
die.
A little IA year old girl, named Jones,
was going on her way home irom schoo
and was struck by a PLANK and instant
, lly killed. The residence o! Mr. Jainei
Phipps, immediately opposite thu
works, was badly riddied by hSinf
bricks and pieces of boiler, and ite roo
: was rolled up like o scroll. There may
, be other bodies in the debris, as ther'
were more than the ordinary numb o
men ct work at the building IN the un
: loading Of q new boiler, besides severs
j lockers en-.
The cause Of she explosion Is un
known, some alleging that 1t was from
a too heavy a head OF steam and other
!. from letting cold water tEto sn emp'.
boiler, the truth Of which will perhap
p never be known. The boiler has beel
Q In use since The plant began operations
over two ysars ago, and bae been ID ser
Q VICE AlmuSt COuSbdnty oSs oHA bi6A
Il ever since.
~ Superintendent Embrae has beel
with the company since 1t started. ID
, y was unmarried, while all tae injure
Is men have families. The town Is u
darkness tonight becaues Of the aoc
d dent, and IL lie possible that som
9 months may elapse before the plant oa
be made ready for service again. Th
l loaa is eati m atad at S25 600.
d Since O'Clock two more bodies bav
been taken from the ruins, both colore
laboring men, named Samuel Web
a and John Bradley. D. o. Taylo
~ Clerk of the Court, ia missing, is brot
or OF j. Frank Taylor. No. 2O9 We'
y Seventh street, has gone 20 West Chez
D. ter to confirm the rumor as feal
are entertained that he is also Ia II
Of wreck, az he was seen, q fey minute
II. before the explosion, watching the me
putting the new boilers into positic
to and In conversation with 6Uperinter
ca dent Embree. Scores Of men ara
work, with torches and lanterns, cles
at ing away the bricks, broken fran
work and machinery. Many are di
~ posed to think that there are sever
10 more bodies In the ruins.
A